Bagging machine rotor tooth having a concave face

ABSTRACT

An agricultural feed bagging machine rotor which includes a plurality of rotor teeth mounted thereon with each of the rotor teeth having a tooth face provided thereon. Each of the tooth faces has a progressively increasing thickness from the inner end thereof to the outer end thereof. The outer face of each of the tooth faces has a channel formed therein with the depth of the channel progressively decreasing from the outer end of the tooth face towards the inner end thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/188,559 filed on Jul. 2, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,735, entitled“A Bagging Machine Rotor Tooth Having a Concave Face.” The entiredisclosure of which is incorporated herein for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a rotor tooth for a bagging machine and moreparticularly to a bagging machine rotor tooth having a concave face.

2. Description of the Related Art

Agricultural feed bagging machines have been employed for several yearsto pack or bag silage or the like into elongated plastic bags. Two ofthe earliest bagging machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,687,061and 4,046,068. In the prior art bagging machines, silage or the like issupplied to the forward or intake end of the bagging machine and is fedto a rotor which conveys the silage into a tunnel on which the plasticbag is positioned so that the bag is filled. As silage is loaded intothe bag, the bagging machine moves away from the filled end of the bagin a controlled fashion in an attempt to achieve uniform compaction ofthe silage material within the bag.

Most rotors on the bagging machines comprise a plurality of rotor teethwhich are welded to the surface of the rotor. A problem exists with therotor teeth of the prior art bagging machines in that the rotor teethmust be replaced when worn or damaged. Many efforts have been previouslyattempted in an effort to solve the problems associated with thereplacement of the rotor teeth. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos.4,907,503 and 5,503,066. Neither of the aforementioned patents disclosesany means for replacing the teeth, but simply disclose means forreplacing the wear surfaces on the rotor teeth.

In applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,692, a rotor for a bagging machine isdescribed including quick change rotor teeth. While the rotor of the'692 patent has met with considerable success, the rotor teeth of the'692 patent, as well as all other rotor teeth, still experienceconsiderable wear requiring replacement. Applicant has also utilizedreplaceable caps which are detachably mounted on the tooth. Although thereplaceable caps eliminate the need for replacing the entire tooth whenthe cap becomes worn, the life of the replaceable caps is not as greatas one would like.

In an effort to solve the tooth wear problem, applicant designed chromesteel caps which were mounted on the rotor teeth which utilized the olddesign of a flat tooth base or surface. In testing of the chrome steelcaps for the rotor teeth, it was discovered that most of the wear occurson the last three inches of the tooth. The sides of the upper end of thetooth are eventually rounded off with the rounding off being caused bythe feed prematurely coming around the tooth face at its sides therebycausing the tooth to more quickly wear. The subject of the instantapplication solves the premature tooth wearing problem and greatlyextends the life of the rotor tooth. The instant application alsoenhances the location and welding of the cap onto the tooth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A rotor is provided for an agricultural feed bagging machine with therotor comprising an elongated, cylindrical body having a horizontallydisposed rotational axis. In one embodiment, a plurality of sockets aresecured to the rotor in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to eachother. A rotor tooth is selectively removably received by each of thesockets and the teeth are positively maintained therein during theoperation of the bagging machine. If one of the rotor teeth shouldbecome worn or damaged, the tooth may be easily replaced in a matter ofseconds, since the rotor tooth is only frictionally maintained in thesocket. In yet another embodiment, the rotor teeth are welded to therotor. Regardless of the manner of securing the rotor teeth to therotor, each of the teeth has an arcuate leading edge or face with innerand outer ends. The leading edge has a concave channel formed therein.In the preferred embodiment, the concave channel has a depth whichprogressively decreases from the outer end of the leading edge towardsthe inner end of the leading edge. In the preferred embodiment, theconcave channel terminates outwardly of the inner end of the leadingedge. Also in the preferred embodiment, the leading edge or face of thetooth is preferably comprised of a chrome steel material. This toothface design may be used directly on a rotor tooth or in a separatelyfabricated tooth cap.

In another embodiment, the outer end of the concave channel terminatesin a billet to accommodate additional wear. In another form of theinvention, the outer leading edge of the tooth is provided with a notchformed therein which receives a shoulder or tab on the cap to aid inlocating and welding the cap on the rotor tooth.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide animproved rotor tooth face design.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotor tooth having aconcave face which increases the life of the tooth.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tooth face designwhich may be used directly on a rotor tooth or in a separatelyfabricated tooth cap.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tooth face designwhich is preferably comprised of a chromium steel material.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a bagging machine having the rotorteeth of this invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of rotor tooth having the tooth face ofthis invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view seen along lines 3—3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4—4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a rotor tooth being installed ina respective socket;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 except that the rotor toothhas been completely received in the socket;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 except that the outer endof the concave channel terminates in a billet;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view as seen along lines 8—8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view as seen along lines 9—9 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating a means for locating the cap on therotor tooth for welding thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, the numeral 10 refers generally to an agricultural baggingmachine such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,594. In most machines10, a wheeled frame 12 is provided having a tunnel 14 mounted thereonupon which is normally positioned the open mouth of a conventionalagricultural bag. Although the preferred embodiment includes a wheeledframe, a non-wheeled frame may also be employed on the bagging machine.The machine 10 also includes a conventional power means for driving thevarious components of the machine and the same will not be disclosed,since the same does not form a part of the invention. The power meanscould be an engine mounted on the machine or a power take-off (PTO)shaft connected to a tractor PTO.

For purposes of description, the bagging machine 10 will be described asincluding a forward end 16 and a rearward end 18. Bagging machine 10includes a hopper means 20 or other material receiving means, such as afeed table, conveyor, etc., at the forward end thereof which is adaptedto receive the material to be bagged from a truck, wagon, etc. Ahorizontally disposed rotor 22 is located at the lower end of the hoppermeans 20 for forcing the material to be bagged into the tunnel 14 andinto the bag in conventional fashion. In one form of the invention, aplurality of sockets are secured to the exterior surface of the rotor 22by welding or the like in the desired fashion. The particular pattern ofthe sockets does not form a part of the invention. The sockets and therotor teeth 60 of FIGS. 1–6 do not form a part of the invention per sewith the same being completely disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,692.

The instant invention resides in the tooth face which is referred togenerally by the reference numeral 26. The tooth face 26 may be useddirectly on a rotor tooth or a replaceable tooth cap therefore. Further,the rotor teeth 60 may be inserted into the sockets 24 or may be weldeddirectly to the rotor. Further, the sockets 24 may be embedded in therotor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,692. For purposes ofdescription, each of the rotor teeth 60 will be described as includingan arcuate leading edge 66 and an arcuate trailing edge 68. For purposesof description, each of the rotor teeth 60 will be described asincluding an outer end 62 and an inner end 64. If the rotor teeth are ofthe replaceable type such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,692, eachof the teeth 60 will be provided with an arcuate (semi-circular) recess70 which is complementary in shape to the pivot surface 52 of the socket24.

Referring now to the tooth face 26, the same will be described asincluding an inner end 28, outer end 30, opposite sides 32 and 34, outersurface 36 and inner surface 38. Inner surface 38 is complementary inshape to the leading edge 66 of the tooth 60. Tooth face 26 issubstantially rectangular in shape when viewed in plan view. As seen inFIGS. 2–6, the thickness of the tooth face 26 progressively increasesfrom its inner end 28 to its outer end 30. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, theouter surface 36 of tooth face 26 is provided with a concave channel 40which extends from end 30 towards end 28. Preferably, the channel 40terminates outwardly of end 28 of tooth face 26. Preferably, the depthof channel 40 progressively decreases from end 30 towards end 28.

The tooth face 26 may be an integral part of the rotor tooth 60 or maybe in the form of a tooth cap which is detachably secured thereto suchas disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,503. Preferably, the tooth face 26is comprised of a chromium steel material.

In operation, rotation of the rotor 22 causes the teeth 60 to engage thematerial being bagged with the tooth face 26 coming into contact withthe material. The channel 40 channels the feed off of the end 30 of thetooth face 26 due to the packing pressure of the silage. In this manner,the feed is stopped from prematurely coming around the tooth face at itssides thereby causing the tooth to more quickly wear. Tooth face 26greatly increases the life of the rotor teeth or the caps mountedthereon.

In FIG. 7, a modified form of the concave channel 40′ is illustrated. Asseen in FIG. 7, the outer end of the channel 40′ terminates in a billet70 to accommodate additional wear. FIG. 10 illustrates a novel means forlocating the cap 26′ on the rotor tooth 60′. The outer end of tooth 60′is provided with a notch 72 formed therein which receives the shoulderor tab 74 of cap 26′ therein to locate the cap 26′ with respect to tooth60′ for welding thereby eliminating the need of a jig.

Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of itsstated objectives.

1. A rotor for a bagging machine, comprising: an elongated body having aplurality of rotor teeth secured thereto in a spaced-apart relationshipwith respect to each other, each of said teeth having a leading edgewith transverse and longitudinal dimensions, with the longitudinaldimension extending between inner and outer ends; and wherein at least asubstantial portion of said leading edge defines an elongate concavityextending in the longitudinal dimension.
 2. The rotor of claim 1 whereinthe elongate concavity of said leading edge terminates inwardly of saidouter end.
 3. The rotor of claim 2, wherein said leading edge includes abuilt up portion positioned outwardly of the elongate concavity.
 4. Therotor of claim 3 wherein said built up portion comprises a billet. 5.The rotor of claim 1 wherein the elongate concavity has depth thatincreases from the inner end toward the outer end.
 6. The rotor of claim1 wherein said leading edge comprises a tooth cap secured to said rotorteeth and wherein said elongate concavity is formed in said tooth cap.7. The rotor of claim 6, further comprising a locating notch formed insaid leading edge, each of said caps having a protrusion extending intosaid notch, the leading edge extending toward said inner end from saidprotrusion to engage material being bagged.
 8. A rotor for a baggingmachine, comprising: an elongated body having a plurality of rotor teethsecured thereto in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to eachother, each of said teeth having an arcuate leading edge defining alongitudinal axis having an inner region adjacent to an inner end and anouter region adjacent to an outer end, the leading edge having a concavechannel aligned with at least a substantial portion of said longitudinalaxis outer region.